Two dead in Seattle high school shooting

TWO people, including a gunman, have died and four others injured during a shooting at a high school north of Seattle on Friday morning (PDT), according to officials.

Police have said the gunman was a student at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, but it is unclear whether his victims were also pupils there.

The facility is currently in lockdown as police search the school room by room to ensure it is safe. Three of the four wounded pupils are in a "very" critical condition in Providence Everett medical centre, said hospital spokeswoman Heidi Amrine. Meanwhile, the fourth victim is being cared for at Harborview Medical Centre.

Robb Lamoureux, Marysville Police Commander, said police believe the first shots were fired in the cafeteria, but he could neither state what prompted the shooting, nor the gunman's identify or that of his victims.

Mr Lamoureux said that officers have evacuated students from all of the buildings on campus "to make sure there is no longer an active threat," the Guardian reported.

Mr Lamoureux went on to stress that the area "is an active scene."

"We do ask parents to please stay away," he said.

To help reunite concerned parents and school pupils, Marysville Police has tweeted a meeting point around ten minutes away from the high school.

The Marysville School District said in a statement that "Marysville Pilchuck High School is currently in lock down due to an emergency situation. Police and emergency services have responded."

Ayn Dietrich, an FBI spokesperson in Seattle, said the agency had personnel on their way to the scene to help authorities with the investigation.

The incident comes after a shooting at Seattle Pacific University on 5 June, where a gunman killed one student and wounded two others.